Benjamin Davis
Benjamin Davis is an artist seeking to expand the possibilities and alter modern perceptions of classical music. This is accomplished through his involvement in the Twin Cities community and greater Midwest as a performer, educator, and administrator.
As a performer, he is the violist of Lux String Quartet (named 2015-16 Classical MPR Class-Notes Artist), acting principal violist with the Des Moines Symphony, section violist with the Quad City Symphony, an improviser in Improvestra, a travel-blogging, busking, improvising street artist and wannabe poet in Wormwood, a frequent collaborative soloist with composers and artists both locally and nationally, as well as interim violist for the Belin Quartet. He has also enjoyed substitute orchestral engagements with Orchestra Iowa, Mankato Symphony, and the South Dakota Symphony.
As an administrator, he serves as Artistic Director of the Oskaloosa Music Festival. He also organized events for Classical Revolution Twin Cities from 2012-2013.
As an educator, he offers private lessons for violists and violinists with a strong Suzuki influence in the Bloomington School District and Sarah Jane's Music School. He also occasionally picks up the baton to conduct youth ensembles in regional orchestra festivals. During the summers, he has been on faculty at Pioneer High School Orchestra Camp hosted at Interlochen.
Davis began his viola studies at the age of 9 with Bruce McLellan, and by the age of 16 had his soloist debut with the Oskaloosa Symphony Orchestra. He has had the privilege to study performance with Charles Miranda and Dr. Jonathan Sturm of the Des Moines Symphony, as well as Thomas Turner of the Minnesota Orchestra. He finished his collegiate studies with a B.M. in Viola Performance at the University of Minnesota under the instruction of Korey Konkol. In 2010, while in attendance at the Chautauqua Institution, Davis had the privilege of receiving instruction from both Carol Rodland and Roland Vamos.
Ever in love with life-long learning, he continued independent private study with Sabina Thatcher from 2014-2016.
As a teacher, he has studied Suzuki Pedagogy with Nancy Lokken at the Ottawa Suzuki Strings and Ann Smelser at Chicago Suzuki Institute.
Davis proudly performs on an award winning 16 3/8" Brescian model viola after Da Salo made by New York-based luthier, Jason Viseltear. He commissioned Northfield-based archetier, Matthew Wehling, to make his bow. The work of these living master craftsmen, when put together, sounds like a gourmet meal with perfectly paired wines!
When not on stage or in the studio, you might be able to find Benjamin hiking off in some remote mountain range, hosting a chamber music jam until the wee hours of the morning, or trying to be as Zen as possible on his yoga mat.